"an Open Letter Of Love"
NJGENE
03 Feb 2008
Hi,
While I am celebrating my own "KC Weekend" by playing her music and videos on My Space, You Tube, my cd's etc. (and getting friends to discover her too and love it!) I just wanted to share something I wrote a year ago tomorrow and sent to Richard:
Sunday, Februrary 4th, 2007:
24 years ago, our dear, dear Karen passed on from this life and it is a tribute to her, as a person, as well as an entertainer, that nearly a quarter-century later, so many people from all over the globe, who have never ever met each other in person and separated by miles and miles have come together as a family of fans to remember and honor Karen.
It is a statement, a deep and lasting statement, that so many people of so many ages, backgrounds and places, appreciate Karen so much that her passing on this day affects them and moves them to share their feelings and in their own individual way, honor her and recall her life and work.
The beauty of all of this, among many things, is that this eletronic age, namely the Web, allows us to keep Karen's work and life current and in the mainstream of discussion. She will not be forgotten as long as there are fans like we who keep her memory alive and pass on our appreciation to younger (or older) folks who were not familiar with her.
I think we have this connection with Karen and this affection for someone we didn't know personaly because Karen really was a special lady to begin with and enabled her fans to 'know' her, through song, interviews, opinions etc. She had her flaws like all of us and of course, as times passes, there are always those admirers who risk making a public figure a saint due to the affection they have for that person.
But, Karen was real. She attained with her brother some of the highest achievements possible in the business but always seemed to stay grounded that she was just doing a job she loved with talents she had. She didn't hide her lonliness, her frustration, anxiety and shortcomings in life and was fine with letting us know that the lyrics she sang hurt sometimes. She was real. That says a lot.
I am guessing that the debate as to why a talented, successful, popular and beautiful woman such as Karen would fall on a downward spiral of self-inflicted pain and problems will continue for a long long time. Obviously, we know now that a lot of this is emotional and self-perception of things, of life and self. And, that could very well be why many of us in the back of our minds are perplexed, angry and sad that Karen would leave us the way she did. But it shows the fragility of life and how for someone so blessed as Karen, success, money, fame and all the trappings cannot heal a wounded soul.
I recall being so upset, so so upset the day she passed. I had such a crush on her at the time. I remember saying to the tv out loud, "Oh, no, not Karen!". It was just a couple years earlier I woke up to learn Lennon has been murdered and I was beginning to question the world.
Since my birthday is Feb 9th, I also have had a connection beteween this day and my birthday. It is still a day of bittersweet feelings beacuse I adored Karen, thought she was funny, talented and pretty and appreciated her voice and work. But, I still cannot help think of the untapped potential not realized as well as the pain she endured emotionally and physically.
I'll play the music of her and her brother today, contemplate and just remember and my heart will sink a bit and I will inevitably sigh and nod my head in furstration that things happened the way they did.
I guess this is my open love letter of rememberance to her and a thank you to Richard for all he did too to help give us Karen and that incredible voice and lasting music.
Thank you.
Love you Karen...
While I am celebrating my own "KC Weekend" by playing her music and videos on My Space, You Tube, my cd's etc. (and getting friends to discover her too and love it!) I just wanted to share something I wrote a year ago tomorrow and sent to Richard:
Sunday, Februrary 4th, 2007:
24 years ago, our dear, dear Karen passed on from this life and it is a tribute to her, as a person, as well as an entertainer, that nearly a quarter-century later, so many people from all over the globe, who have never ever met each other in person and separated by miles and miles have come together as a family of fans to remember and honor Karen.
It is a statement, a deep and lasting statement, that so many people of so many ages, backgrounds and places, appreciate Karen so much that her passing on this day affects them and moves them to share their feelings and in their own individual way, honor her and recall her life and work.
The beauty of all of this, among many things, is that this eletronic age, namely the Web, allows us to keep Karen's work and life current and in the mainstream of discussion. She will not be forgotten as long as there are fans like we who keep her memory alive and pass on our appreciation to younger (or older) folks who were not familiar with her.
I think we have this connection with Karen and this affection for someone we didn't know personaly because Karen really was a special lady to begin with and enabled her fans to 'know' her, through song, interviews, opinions etc. She had her flaws like all of us and of course, as times passes, there are always those admirers who risk making a public figure a saint due to the affection they have for that person.
But, Karen was real. She attained with her brother some of the highest achievements possible in the business but always seemed to stay grounded that she was just doing a job she loved with talents she had. She didn't hide her lonliness, her frustration, anxiety and shortcomings in life and was fine with letting us know that the lyrics she sang hurt sometimes. She was real. That says a lot.
I am guessing that the debate as to why a talented, successful, popular and beautiful woman such as Karen would fall on a downward spiral of self-inflicted pain and problems will continue for a long long time. Obviously, we know now that a lot of this is emotional and self-perception of things, of life and self. And, that could very well be why many of us in the back of our minds are perplexed, angry and sad that Karen would leave us the way she did. But it shows the fragility of life and how for someone so blessed as Karen, success, money, fame and all the trappings cannot heal a wounded soul.
I recall being so upset, so so upset the day she passed. I had such a crush on her at the time. I remember saying to the tv out loud, "Oh, no, not Karen!". It was just a couple years earlier I woke up to learn Lennon has been murdered and I was beginning to question the world.
Since my birthday is Feb 9th, I also have had a connection beteween this day and my birthday. It is still a day of bittersweet feelings beacuse I adored Karen, thought she was funny, talented and pretty and appreciated her voice and work. But, I still cannot help think of the untapped potential not realized as well as the pain she endured emotionally and physically.
I'll play the music of her and her brother today, contemplate and just remember and my heart will sink a bit and I will inevitably sigh and nod my head in furstration that things happened the way they did.
I guess this is my open love letter of rememberance to her and a thank you to Richard for all he did too to help give us Karen and that incredible voice and lasting music.
Thank you.
Love you Karen...
Karen Spirit
26 Feb 2008
thaks so much!!
you can visit my weeb site about her and Richard..and my Musical Origianl Tribute of me..
http://www.fotolog.com/the_carpenters60
and this..other too.!!
http://www.fotolog.com/karen_spirit
you can visit my weeb site about her and Richard..and my Musical Origianl Tribute of me..
http://www.fotolog.com/the_carpenters60
and this..other too.!!
http://www.fotolog.com/karen_spirit
Karen Spirit
26 Feb 2008
i have a extrange and very beautiful connection wiht her too.
karen Spirit
karen Spirit
